Angela asked: I have a question! I am seeing bloggers use {} instead of () more and more. Maybe because they look “prettier?” It seems to me there may be some rule that’s being broken here, but I’m not for sure. Are folks just being stylistic, or are they breaking some essential punctuation rule? I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t annoy me.
Ah, only we true grammar sticklers get annoyed at the idea that a punctuation rule might possibly/maybe/sort of be being broken. But we don’t get annoyed because we are cruel; we get annoyed because care so much. We’re just big teddy bears inside, I promise.
I have seen bloggers take liberties with many different types of punctuation. In fact, I think I could write a whole post on emoticons. Most of the time, bloggers are exercising the creative license to reinvent punctuation as a graphic design element. In the case of actual graphics, like the Crafterminds and Nice Girl Notes graphics, I am cool with a little Extreme Makeover: Punctuation Edition.
However, my right eye starts to twitch when punctuation gets all “fancified” in actual writing. Punctuation is meant to serve a real purpose, guiding the reader to the writer’s intended message, and that’s enough work for these little guys.
Today, while everyone is talking about their NCAA brackets (mine are a royal mess), let’s take a look at slightly more predictable brackets.
WHAT THE HECK ARE THOSE THINGS?
Falling under the broad category of brackets, these marks ( ), [ ], { } are meant to set off information from the rest of a sentence. Fairly straightforward. But, since the English language can’t seem to ever get its act together, people can’t decide what to call them!
According to an informal poll on a computer programmer site, the Brits have one set of names and we Americans have another. Seems we are never going to get over that whole War of Independence thing.
In England:
WHEN DO WE USE THEM?
Parentheses ( ) are used to set off incidental information from the rest of a sentence, to enclose numbers or letters in a list, to enclose a date, or to cite information.
The stickers on my son’s potty training chart (purchased at the Dollar Tree) are die-cut Toy Story stickers.Potty training sucks because (A) Pull-Ups are expensive, (B) emptying the training potty is gross, and (C) we never get to leave the house.It may take 3 years to potty train my son (2011-2014).Potty training sucks. (“Mad in Crafts”, March 2011)
Brackets [ ] are used to set off information that is already in parentheses or to add an explanatory word in a quote.
Snuggies (made of fleece or microplush [a single-sided fabric]) are awesome.“Don’t judge me for wearing [my Snuggie]; it’s freaking cold outside,” Jessica rationalized.
But what about squiggly, curly, fancy pants braces? As it turns out { } aren’t really punctuation marks at all. WHHAAAAA?!?!
Grammar Girl explains:
[Curly braces are] on your keyboard because they have specialized uses in mathematics and science. For example, they are used to enclose the third level of nested equations when parentheses and brackets have already been used for the first two levels.
So, in answer to your question, Angela, those bloggers who are using the braces are misusing them. BUT, they are misusing a mathematical symbol, not a punctuation mark.
And I don’t care so much about that.
Comment here or on my facebook page, tweet me or send me an email with any and all questions you have. I will answer as best as I can, and, if I don’t know it myself, I will do the research for you!
I'm totally guilty. I suppose I just can't help it. I have a craft blog and I try to make all things cute. {} just happens to be cuter than (). Guilty as charged.Oh, and I hate math. 🙂 Amanda
I just have to tell you how much I love this series! I have a degree in English Communications. While my grammar and punctuation could always use some work, there are so many basics that I see misused all the time and, sadly, they bother me! Thank you so much for helping all of us bloggers learn a little. I think one of my greatest pet peeves in writing (and they're used all the time these days) are "LOL" and "haha". I feel like your words have a lot more power when you spell them out. And, are you really laughing out loud at that? If so, tell me about out. I'll believe you more if you describe it in more than LOL.
english is NOT my strong point… i am {guilty} of using the braces because they look pretty
Thanks for the explanation! I was wondering about the braces. I've never seen them used in writing and was wondering how they were used.
Thank you for all your research in answering this for me. I too have an English degree but I am seeing all sorts of new things pop up that I simply don't have the time to research. Now I don't have to wonder about this one anymore.But I'd be lying if I said it will stop annoying me. If you want to be cute – do it your design, or in the way you describe something. {Not with a mathematical symbol.}